A cutting machine for processing leafy vegetables such as collard greens is provided. The cutting machine is adjustable to accommodate vegetables of varying thicknesses. An enclosure with a cover has an input opening in the cover to feed material to be cut between the rollers. An actuating shaft which is rotated includes an offset wheel and an offset shaft. An actuating rod on the offset wheel swings a pivoting knife back and forth to cut the material. An actuating shaft which is connected to the offset shaft moves a roller cog mounted on the drive roller.
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1. A cutting machine for cutting food products, the cutting machine comprising:
an enclosure having an input opening;
a frame located within the enclosure;
a drive roller mounted to rotate within the enclosure;
a roller cog affixed to the drive roller;
a tensioning roller in the enclosure adjacent to and generally aligned with the drive roller;
a pair of tensioning shafts extending from outside the enclosure into the enclosure, the tensioning roller being mounted on the tensioning shafts;
an actuating shaft extending within the enclosure, the actuating shaft being rotatable and including an offset wheel and an offset shaft;
means for rotating the actuating shaft;
a stationary blade mounted on the frame generally beneath the drive roller;
a knife mounted to pivot on the frame so as to interact with the stationary blade;
an actuating rod mounted to pivot on the knife and on the offset wheel;
a cog driver connected to the offset shaft to engage the roller cog; and
means for rotating the actuating shaft.
10. A cutting machine for cutting food products, the cutting machine comprising:
an enclosure having a front wall, a rear wall and two side walls and a cover, the cover having an input opening through it;
a frame within the enclosure;
a drive roller mounted to rotate within the enclosure;
a roller cog affixed to drive roller;
a tensioning roller located within the enclosure adjacent to and generally aligned with the drive roller;
a pair of tensioning shafts extending through the front wall generally parallel to and adjacent the two side walls for mounting tensioning rollers, each tensioning shaft including means for moving the tensioning roller toward and away from the drive roller, the tensioning roller being mounted on the tensioning shafts;
an actuating shaft having an interior end and an exterior end and being rotatable, the actuating shaft including an offset wheel located on the interior end of the actuating shaft within the enclosure and an offset shaft located within the enclosure;
means outside the enclosure for rotating the actuating shaft;
a stationary blade mounted on the frame generally beneath the drive roller across the rear wall;
a knife bolt, an opening in a knife being mounted on the bolt for the knife to rotate;
adjustable means mounted on the knife bolt to press the knife against the stationary blade;
an actuating rod connected to pivot on the knife a short distance from the bolt and rotatably connected to the offset wheel;
a cog driver connected to the offset shaft to engage the roller cog; and
a guide means for directing the cog driver.
16. A cutting machine for cutting food products, the Catting machine comprising:
an enclosure forming an interior within the enclosure and an exterior outside the enclosure, the enclosure having a front wall, a rear wall, the two side walls and a cover, the cover having an input opening through it and being mounted to rotate on the rear wall;
a frame located in the interior along the rear wall and the two side walls, the frame having an upper surface and a lower surface;
a drive roller including a drive roller body and a drive roller shaft, the drive roller shaft having two ends, the drive roller body being pronged, the drive roller being mounted to rotate in the frame;
a roller cog affixed to the drive roller shaft;
a tensioning roller mounted in the interior adjacent to and generally aligned with the drive roller, the tensioning roller body being compressible;
a pair of tensioning shafts extending through the front wall generally parallel to and adjacent to the two side walls, each tensioning shaft having an inner end in the interior near the rear wall and an exterior end outside the enclosure adjacent the front wall, journal blocks mounted on the tensioning shafts adjacent the inner ends, the tensioning roller shaft being mounted to rotate in the journal blocks, the tensioning shafts each further having a collar mounted on each tensioning shaft and a spring between the collar and the journal block, a knob being mounted on the exterior end of each tensioning shaft;
an actuating shaft having an interior and an exterior end mounted in the interior and extending to the interior through one of the side walls generally parallel to the drive roller and the tensioning roller, the actuating shaft including an offset wheel on the interior end of the actuating shaft in the interior of the enclosure and further including an offset shaft located between offset wheel and the side wall through which the actuating shaft extends;
means for rotating the actuating shaft mounted on the exterior end of the actuating shaft outside the enclosure;
a stationary blade mounted on the lower surface of the frame across the rear wall;
a knife having two ends and a knife body with a dull edge and a sharp edge and having a spring at one end;
a knife bolt affixed to the lower surface of the frame along the rear wall and located toward the side wall through which the actuating shaft extends, the knife being placed on the bolt through the opening in the knife, the sharp edge facing the rear wall;
a block mounted to slide on the knife bolt and to press against the knife;
a knife tensioning spring mounted on the knife bolt which presses against the block;
an actuating rod having two ends, one end being mounted to pivot on the knife a short distance from the bolt and the other end being connected to rotate on the offset wheel;
a guide mount secured to the frame along the side wall;
a guide mounted to rotate on the guide mount;
a spring connected to the guide and the guide mount; and
a cog driver connected to the offset shaft and located in the guide mount to engage the roller cog.
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1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to food processing devices, and more specifically to a device for cutting a leafy vegetable such as collard greens or spinach.
2. Prior Art and Objects
The problem of cutting certain food products, primarily collard greens, has previously been recognized. The Shorter Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,125,741, issued Oct. 3, 2000, describes a device primarily for cutting collard greens. That device provides for shredding the vegetable vertically through two rollers and also for cutting the vegetable longitudinally. One roller, the back roller, has circumferential grooves, while the other roller, the front roller, has cutting wheels which ride in the grooves. Longitudinal cutting is achieved by a knife activated by cams mounted on the front roller. The knife strikes against the grooved roller and is powered for the cutting action by a spring. The striking of the knife is critical and, if not accurately set, will either not cut or will damage the back roller.
It has also been found that adequate cutting can be achieved by making only the horizontal cut. Since various vegetables with varying thicknesses need to be processed in the Cutting Machine, it has also been recognized that there is a definite need to make the Cutting Machine adjustable for different vegetables.
Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide an improved Cutting Machine for processing leafy vegetables such as collard greens.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a Cutting Machine that is adjustable to accommodate vegetables of varying thicknesses.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a Cutting Machine that is dependable and economical.
A fourth object of the present invention is to provide a Cutting Machine that is safe and easy to use anywhere.
A cutting machine for cutting food products such as collard greens is provided. The cutting Machine is generally located within an enclosure. The enclosure has an input opening through with material to be cut is inserted. A frame is located within the enclosure. A drive roller is mounted to rotate within the enclosure. A roller cog is affixed to the drive roller. A tensioning roller mounted in the enclosure adjacent to and generally aligned with the drive roller. A pair of tensioning shafts extend from outside the enclosure into the enclosure. An actuating shaft extends within the enclosure. The actuating shaft is rotatable and includes an offset wheel and an offset shaft. A Means for is also included for rotating the actuating shaft. A stationary blade is mounted on the frame generally beneath the drive roller. A knife is mounted to pivot on the frame so as to interact with the stationary blade. An actuating rod is mounted to pivot on the knife and on the offset wheel. A cog driver is connected to the offset shaft to engage the roller cog and means for rotating the actuating shaft is provided.
Numeral Description
Referring now to
Referring now to
The drive roller 45 is mounted on a drive roller shaft 51. The drive roller 45 includes the drive roller shaft 51 and a drive roller body 52. The drive roller body 52 is pronged. At one end of the drive roller shaft 51, the right end, facing the front wall 27, there is a roller cog 53 which is used to rotate the drive roller 45. This roller cog 53 is used to drive the driver roller 45. The drive roller 45 is mounted to rotate in the side walls 31.
A pair of journal blocks 55 are affixed to the tensioning shafts 39, one journal block 55 on each tensioning shaft 39. The journal blocks 55 hold the two ends of the tensioning roller shaft 48. The tensioning roller 47 rotates in the journal blocks 55. Each journal block 55 is held in place with the pair of adjuster springs 50. As best seen in
An offset wheel 60 is affixed in an eccentric position to an actuating shaft 61 at the interior end of the actuating shaft 61. When the actuating shaft 61 is turned, the offset wheel 60 pushes and pulls an actuating rod 63 which has two ends, one end being mounted on the offset wheel 60 and the opposite end being mounted on a knife 65 such that the knife 65 is pulled and pushed in and out generally horizontally as the off-set wheel 60 rotates. The actuating shaft 61 is connected to a hand crank 67 mounted on the exterior end of the actuating shaft 61. The hand crank 67 is located on the right side of the Cutting Machine and outside the side wall 31. The hand crank 67 may be readily replaced by an electric motor (not shown). An offset shaft 68 is also located on the actuating shaft 61 inside the enclosure 21 toward the side wall 31 where the hand crank 67 is located. By rotating the actuating shaft 61, the Cutting Machine is activated by rotating both the drive roller 45 and moving the knife 65 back and forth.
Referring now to
Referring now to
In
The offset shaft 61 on the actuating shaft 61 is located eccentrically to the actuating shaft 61. When the hand crank 67 is turned outside of the enclosure 21, the actuating shaft 61 is turned. The eccentric placement of the offset shaft 68 causes the cog driver 93 to move backward and forward in the guide 81 which causes the cog driver 93 to rotate the roller cog 53.
Referring now to
When the knife is drawn under the drive roller 45, the knife 65 moves in a cutting action against and underneath the stationary blade 97. This cuts the food product being fed into the input opening 35.
While a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be apparent tot hose skilled in the art that many other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects. The appended claims are therefore intended to cover all such changes and modifications as fall withing the true spirit and scope of the invention.
Shorter, Carolyn, Shorter, James
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